The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigated this occurrence for the purpose of advancing transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
Aviation Investigation Report
Loss of Rudder in Flight
Air Transat
Airbus A310-308 C-GPAT
Miami, Florida, 90 nm S
06 March 2005
Report Number A05F0047
At 0645 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), Air Transat Flight 961 (TSC961), an Airbus A310-308 aircraft, departed Varadero, Cuba, for Québec, Quebec, with 9 crew members and 262 passengers on board. At approximately 0702 UTC, the aircraft was 90 nautical miles south of Miami, Florida, United States, and in level flight at flight level (FL) 350, when the flight crew heard a loud bang and felt some vibration. The aircraft entered a Dutch roll and the captain disconnected the autopilot to manually fly the aircraft. The aircraft climbed nearly 1000 feet while the captain tried to control the Dutch roll. The crew initiated a descent back to FL 350 and requested further descent and a possible diversion to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During the descent, the Dutch roll intensity lessened and then stopped when the aircraft descended through FL 280. No emergency was declared. When the aircraft was abeam Miami, the crew decided to return to Varadero.
During the landing flare, the rudder control inputs were not effective in correcting for a slight crab. The aircraft landed and taxied to the gate. After shutdown, it was discovered that the aircraft rudder was missing. Small pieces of the rudder were still attached to the vertical stabilizer. One flight attendant suffered a minor back injury during the event.
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© Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 2007
Cat. No. TU3-5/05-2E
ISBN 978-0-662-46783-0